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Monday, March 19, 2018

I never needed a drink to sleep before...Until Amelia Solis stormed into my life.

Excerpt below

Happy Monday, Everyone!I hope you all had a great weekend. Both of my kids were home, and that always places a smile on this empty nest mom.Today, I'm thrilled to showcase J.L. Lora's new release, Steel. Crazy sexy cover, the story...hot, exciting and the chemistry between Leo and Mel jump off the page.

Strong, daring, and loyal to a fault, Amelia Solis is the soul of The Trinity. Yet, this leader of New York’s top cartel has become a pawn in the game of revenge. All to hurt Leandro, the man she wants more than life but cannot be with.

The enemy’s always watching, biding his time.

Leandro Masseur, Lieutenant in the McLean crime family, earned his position through loyalty, shrewd business, and ruthlessness. His enemies never see the bullet until it’s ready to lodge between their eyes. When a dead woman is found in Amelia’s bed, his world is flipped off its axis.

Their Devil knows what buttons to push.

Four women will die before a killer finishes a macabre target list, with Amelia as his crown piece. Leandro and Amelia must dodge the barrage of bullets and bombs to keep her safe. Tragedy has left them scarred and broken. But love won’t be denied, won’t wait, and Leandro won’t stop fighting for a chance. The only woman he’s ever loved has been marked for death. Leandro won’t let that happen.J.L shared the music that will stir your emotions.

Steel Excerpt

I never needed a drink to sleep before. Not the day I shot my first guy right through the eyes. Not during the years Sebastian tried to turn me into his little bitch. Not after I got shot, and it’d hurt like a motherfucker. I hadn't needed a drink to sleep then.Until Amelia Solis stormed into my life. It was bye-bye Leandro Masseur.One fucking day, an elevator door opened and her laughter pealed out. God witnesses daily how much I wish I had never turned around to see her step out of that elevator. Every fucking thing in my life went to shit, dragged and smeared around at her will. One look at her and I’d fallen through a hole full of obsessions, eating all my player promises. Never-love-them-Leo would never fall in love with a woman, let a woman call the shots, or spend hours thinking about a woman. So how the hell do I, of all the fools in the world, find myself here? Waking up feeling like shit and worshiping at the altar of a woman determined not to be with me. The answer is simple and complicated.Yes, it was the painted-on-her-skin, black dress that spotlighted her curves. And yes, it was the way she walked to a sexy beat like a Maxwell song. And yes, it was her Coke-can-red lips, weapons more dangerous than the knife she carried in her leather boot strap or purse or in a sheath under her skirts. Last night, again, she’d driven me to the understanding, comforting arms of whiskey. Noah married Gia, but Amelia tells me we cannot be. We cannot be, but she eye-fucks me as our friends take their vows. I don't blame her. I feasted on her, like a homeless man looking through the glass of a bakery. The things I did to her with my eyes and mind…me, her, the priest, the tent, the flowers, the chairs, all should have been on fire. But no, the wedding's over and she hightails it back to New York with some bullshit excuse about checking on her friend Byanca. My phone beeps again. I snatch it and almost fall off the bed when I see her name. My heart jabs at my chest and I turn into a boy again. That's what she does to me. I'm sorry, her text says. I want to slam my phone against the wall, over and over until it shreds into plastic and wiry ribbons. I flip the cell on the bed away from me like it offends me. I lay back down, contemplating texting her back, telling her not to worry about me. I won't be bothering her with my attention anymore. Leandro Masseur will go back to not begging her. She can have all the space she wants. As a matter of fact, I'll give her more. I'll be so distant that it'll make all the states between New York and California seem like a stroll down the block.A scream bounces off the walls and my heart punches through my chest. My hand palms the Glock under my pillow, my head already calculating where it came from, how to get there, if the hallway's clear. Everyone in the house scrolls through my mind at once. Alec, the twins, but my mind settles on Carissa. I don't know when I left the bed. My next breath, I'm at the door, securing the hallway and making my way to the home office. Carissa wails, prickling every pore in my body and I know it's bad. Bad enough to make my stomach clench because I don't know what it is, or who. Who, because someone's dead.

Monday, March 5, 2018

Hi Everyone!
Check out the Luck of the Irish Contest. I would love it if one my readers won the mega-load of $250. Just clink on the link below and look for Nancy C. Weeks. HUGS TO ALL---AND GOOD LUCK!
Nancy C. Weeks

March 1st to 31st

Giveaway Details

$250 in Paypal Cash or a $250 Amazon.com eGift Card
Ends 3/31/18
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors, bloggers, and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Today, I'm thrilled to introduce Sharon Clare, author and owner of Clarity Book Cover Designs. Designing attractive social media images is not my forte. In fact, I kind of stink at it. I would rather be writing. Since what Clare does is such a mystery to me, I thought I would turn my blog over to her.

If you haven't all ready figured it out, I highly recommend Clare's services. She is offering a great discount on her cover and social media packages to my readers.

Sharon, thank you so much for being here with us today. My blog is yours. Take it away...

How to Use Design in Everyday Life

First, I want to thank Nancy for
inviting me to her blog today to talk about design.

You don’t have to be a designer to bring
good design into your life. There are simple rules you can follow to make your
photos, website and things like birthday invitations look professional.

Most people have an intuitive sense for
colours that look good together. There’s no right or wrong colour palette. I
studied colour theory over thirty years ago and the same rules apply.

The
Colour Wheel

Studies show that a person’s attention is
captured by contrasting colours, so consider using colours that are opposite
each other on the colour wheel such as: green/red, yellow/purple, orange/blue. These
colour combinations tend to look good together.

BUT....there are FREE ebooks for everyone who enters. For example, everyone who signs up for my newsletter in the Contest receives a free read of His One Wish, Aiden and Jazlin's amazing happy-ever-after. So many authors and so many free reads. It's super easy. Everyone wins if they play. Just clink on the link.

I so want my readers to win the GRAND PRIZE but you must play to win. Best of luck and HAVE FUN.

Hugs to all,

Nancy C. Weeks

P.S. Quick Note: You can sign up for my newsletter any time by clicking on the newsletter icon above and receive my free read. However, you must do it through the contest if you want to be in the pool for the grand prize.

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

"There is, and always will be, such powerful magic in the pen."

Happy New Year, Everyone!To start off 2018, I have a delightful author to introduce. Kathleen Shaputis is here to tell us a little about herself and her new release, Their Witch Wears Plaid. I read this charming paranormal romance and loved it. Here is a peek from my review of Their Witch Wears Plaid.I can’t thank Kathleen Shaputis enough for the
enjoyable hours spent reading Their Witch Wears Plaid, the third book in her
Baillie Castle series. On one hand, this story is a lighthearted read, lovable,
funny characters, wonderful descriptive scenery of Scotland, castles, and a
very handsome ghost who pops in at will. I loved our heroine Nell from the
start. Her special ability—sorry—no spoilers—has always fascinated me....

You can find the whole review here.

On to the interview.Kathleen, I'm so glad you could come by for a visit. As you can tell, I truly enjoyed Their Witch Wears Plaid. To start off this interview, please tell us
a little about yourself so my readers to get to know
the person behind the writer.

I believe
I came into the world with a pencil in my hands. My first pieces were scripts
and plays acted out by my neighborhood friends in our backyard, using the
clothesline and a blanket as the curtain. In those days I dreamed of being a
hermit, living in a forest and writing best-selling novels. I got one out of
three so far, living in the Pacific Northwest on our two acres of woods, lol.
If I’m not writing a story, I handwrite missives to relatives and friends.
There is, and always will be, such powerful magic in the pen.

How about we give everyone a glimpse at your adorable cover and blurb.

CLICK IMAGE FOR AMAZON

Even though Nell felt right at home as the palm reader at Scotland’s Baillie Castle, a romantic bed and breakfast, her own love life fell short. Surrounded daily by married and engaged couples, Nell enjoyed her independence, though there was this one sweet crush she had on a fantasy knight in shining armor.Her delightful end of summer is shoved into a powerful hurricane of mystery when an evil druid battles for her service, throwing her into nightmares and catatonic trances. Will her infatuation with the professional knight rescue her from the darkness or is he entrenched with the dreaded Druid?The hurricane reaches Category 5 intensity when a magic coin, the diva queen squad and a pair of witches collide at the castle. Will magic be enough to save Nell from a broken heart or cause certain death?

Tell us a little bit about how you came to write Their Witch Wears Plaid?

This is the last book of my Baillie Castle trilogy and I found the character Nell deserved her own HEA. She has carried a special place in my heart. I believe in palm readers and psychics and have had the good fortune of knowing a few talented ones. Nell is inspired by an incredible woman here in Olympia whose talent and love I’ve embraced for years. She’s gotten me through some tough times and encouraged my successes at others.Kathleen sent along a couple photos I'm sure she used for inspiration. She was able to attend a writer's conference at Hever Castle. How amazing that must have been.

Kathleen in front of the gates of Hever Castle

Hever Castler, Edenbridge, 30 miles south-east of London, England

Kathleen, we both know that completing a book
is an enormous challenge. What was your biggest obstacle and how did you overcome
it? In other words, what do you think drove you to complete this enormous
project?

In the past twelve
years, I’ve been a ghostwriter as well as an author, busy with various projects
of other people’s dreams. But I was diagnosed with Meniere’s Disease in 2015, a
debilitating, incurable nightmare. My days now are bothered by feelings of
seasickness and dizzy spells. This makes it difficult to spend any major time
at the computer. I had to give up my day job, ghostwriting and find I am more
of a hermit shut indoors. Completing TWWP through these obstacles became
possible from the love of the characters and a “never give up” attitude.

I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I'm very familiar with the love of creating new characters and worlds to ease the struggles of daily life. The best medicine in the world is your never-give-up attitude.

So here an interesting question I love to toss at my guest. Do you believe
writers are born or made?

For myself, I was born a writer. However, I had a practical mother who
caboshed my writing goals during most of my childhood. It was one thing to
entertain the neighbor parents, but growing up meant focusing on school and
getting a decent job. It wasn’t until the 90’s, I finally threw myself back
into my passion. I do believe there are others who are self-made as authors.
Their muse may have been chipping away for decades before breaking through to
their hearts.

How do you think your life
experiences have prepared you for a writing career?

I used to describe myself as a
headliner for the Baby Boomer generation. I was the first of my friends to be a
working single parent, take care of an aging parent, raise a grandchild, and be
a Prozac Princess. If I looked back further, other events and such were mere
fodder for the plot lines and characterizations yet to be.

LOL! I thought I held that title. I'm waiting for someone to write our story--The Amazing Baby Boomers. Life does feed our already overactive imaginations. What is your ideal writing space?

Though I carry a notebook with me everywhere so I can jot scenes or
dialogue while waiting at a doctor’s office, the majority of my work is at a
computer in my library. The room is in the front of the house with large
windows overlooking Junior’s memorial garden and our cul de sac. Often
black-tail deer are walking through the yard or my Pomeranians are going
hysterical chasing the trash truck who had the nerve to stop at the end of our
driveway.

Wow!! That is gorgeous. I can see myself hiding away in this space, warm, cozy, and doing what I love most, writing.

Now for a few giggles. There is someone you will never meet but whom you desperately need for
them to know who you are. The only way to communicate with them is to send them
a box with three items. What would those three ideas be?A blank journal, a box of pens and a thick, fuzzy
blanket.

Ahhh...yes! You have to have the fuzzy blanket. Here is one more if you don't mind. Write a love story in eight words.

He touched her hand and stole her
heart.

Perfect! I stole this last question from author, Becky Flade. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when
you arrive at the pearly gates?

You have an incredible crowd waiting for you.

Yes, that would be lovely! What is up next for you?

I had always wanted to participate in the NaNoWriMo challenge and I can
now check this off my bucket list. The manuscript titled Twinkies and Tranquilizers is about a confident, ERA supportive
single mother in the 70’s during the disco-dancing, sexual revolution years.
Her colorful, dedicated world is nearly destroyed by harassment and misogyny. I
have six months to revise and edit before attending the Pacific Northwest
Writers’ Conference where I hope to pitch it to a few agents.

Kathleen, I'll keep my toes and fingers cross that you find a wonderful publisher. Where can readers find out more
about your book and yourself?

Kathleen, thank you again for taking the time to stop by. I loved getting to know you a little better. As always, if anyone has any questions for Kathleen Shaputis or me, please ask away by clicking on comments below. If you have trouble with blogger, please email me at nancy@nancycweeks.com and I'll post your question.

I hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of 2018. Please take a few moments to put your feet up and read a good book.Hugs to all,Nancy C. Weeks

Erin's first novel, Courtly Pleasures is out for all of us to enjoy! And can I say, the reviews so far are wonderful:

"A real pleasure to read."

" Engaging characters, real struggles and a bit of intrigue makes for a satisfying romance"

"Full of great imagery, entertaining dialogue, a touch of humor, and a whole lot of sexy."

Erin, I would love to start off this interview with you telling us a little about yourself--the real Erin behind the writer. How did you come to writeCourtly Pleasures?I majored in history partly because of my love of historical costuming. My costuming brought me to Renaissance Faire and I became part of a living history group portraying the court of Queen Elizabeth. Here is a glimpse of costumes modeled by my girls ... So adorable ... RIGHT!

My character was a real person from history, Frances Pierrepont. In researching her I found very little so I created details. The character, as I chose to portray her at that point, was a flibbertigibbet and a lot of fun. Years later, after the birth of my second daughter, I took a second look at Frances from the perspective of a young mother. I thought about how life would have been, how she would have dealt with the infant deaths recorded in her history, and this became the starting point of the story that would eventually be Courtly Pleasures. After the first draft (written entirely in dialect!), I changed her name to Frances LeSieur and modified her genealogy so I could call her a truly fictitious character.That is a wonderful way to begin your career as a writer. Completing a book is an enormous challenge. What was your biggest obstacle and how did you overcome it? In other words, what do you think drove you to complete this enormous project?I wrote the book in stages and kept putting off the end (and the sex scenes). The Elizabethan world grew and grew but the story stagnated. My first challenge was ending the book. The next was streamlining the actual story and pruning out the fluff. I think I probably cut about 75,000 words. Writing the next books was smoother. I had a direction and an understanding of the process. By then I’d also started to research the Romance industry. After writing three more books, I came back to Courtly Pleasures and rewrote it with a focus on the romantic elements and brought it to the place it’s at now.You're very brave to admit that you cut 75,000 words. I cut about 40,000 words on my novel, In the Shadow of Greed. FYI Readers: One of the hardest things for a writer is hitting that delete key and erasing parts of the story that's become a part of us. But it's an necessary evil.So, I have an interesting question I like to ask new authors. When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?I always liked to write – journaling, poetry, short stories, plays… nothing I ever took seriously and never with the intention of making them public. Courtly Pleasures started out just for me as well. It wasn’t until I finished the first draft that I realized I had a real book and could think about publishing.Erin, I write first for myself. That ideal keeps me grounded. Since we have mentioned Courtly Pleasures often in the last few minutes, lets give everyone a peek at your first novel:

Drum roll.....

What’s a neglected wife to do when her husband doesn’t know she exists? Create a scandal, of course, in this delightful Elizabethan romp.

After ten years of marriage, Frances LeSieur has faded into her role as a lady wife and mother. She has no idea who she is as a woman. So Frances joins Queen Elizabeth’s glittering court and discovers a part of herself she never knew existed—and one she’s sure her neglectful husband would never notice.

Henry has always done his duty to family and crown despite his own desires. When Frances asks for a separation then transforms into a confident and vibrant courtier, he’s floored—and finds himself desperate to learn what makes her tick, both in and out of the bedroom. After years of silent alienation, can he woo her back, or will he lose this intoxicating woman to one of the rakes hell-bent on having her?

As Frances and Henry come to realize that living is not merely surviving, can they create a second chance at love before it’s too late?

Such a sweet moment, right? You can read an excerpt here. Courtly Pleasures's Excerpt.On with the interview. Here's another question I love to ask new authors? Do you believe writers are born or made?I think writers are born creative, raised in a place that fosters imagination, and shaped by experiences into men and women of determination with the ability finish what they start. I’ve heard many people say they have great ideas for a book, but they’re not writers if they don’t write. I’m not necessarily more creative or skilled in writing than the person next to me, but the difference is that I actually sit down and write. The storyteller in me was born that way, but the writer in me came from learning how to work hard and follow through.That's the best explanation to date. You're so right. Writers write. How do you think your life experiences have prepared you for a writing career?

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DISCLAIMER

I do not read every book from authors I host on my blog. I appreciate their journey and hope you enjoy learning something about them. Readers, please take time to research each book and use your judgement before buying.